How to customize your 1911 grips

Very beautiful design, graceful and smooth as polished silk. The Ivory grips are unique in appearence with that sweeping curve and the Ivory grain has a nice, distingushed look about it as if Royalty will be using them to enhance a very fine hand gun. The screw holes are very clean and smooth, the grips just have that soft flow to them. They must be a pleasure just to hold the grips in ones hand.

The Elk horn grips remind me of how far I have yet to go with the proper technigue of doing inlay. The natural look of the Elk horn again, flows with the beauty of strength and rugged durability. I think you are what the oriental would call a Master and as humble as you are, you would never say that yourself. Your work shows the pride of a craftsman. Your effort will not lack for attention, but will likely be in need of crowd control. What show will these art works be shown at? Yes, I'd say I enjoyed this presentation right here and it did not cost me a thing. Even had I paid for admission I would have received my money's worth. Thank You

Hotsights, Wow, I need to hire you as my advertiser. Thank you so much for the very kind words. The show is at Slidell, LA. I went yesterday afternoon to set up and another man (gun dealer) bought the Elk horn as soon as I laid them on the table. He bought them for his daughter for Christmas. I only wish I had some more of those Medallions (ear rings). There is no telling how many I could sell since I am right in the middle of the LSU territory.

I usually do fairly good at the shows. I hope economy has not hurt the grip business too much.
I will have more pictures to post after the show.
Thank you again for the good and kind words, they are what keeps me going.
Carl

Woodnut, I just got a RIA 1911 .45acp. After seeing all your grips, I want to try my hand at this. I see grips on e-bay, too much money for them. I'm cheap.(SMILE) Have you ever tried Purple Heart Wood? I bought a lot of wood scales on e-bay about 2 years ago. All kinds of wood. I would really like to make some grips out of my purple heart wood. I heard you can burn this type of wood very easy. Any pointers for a cheap guy here?

Woodnut, I just got a RIA 1911 .45acp. After seeing all your grips, I want to try my hand at this. I see grips on e-bay, too much money for them. I'm cheap.(SMILE) Have you ever tried Purple Heart Wood? I bought a lot of wood scales on e-bay about 2 years ago. All kinds of wood. I would really like to make some grips out of my purple heart wood. I heard you can burn this type of wood very easy. Any pointers for a cheap guy here?

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Keystone,
Thanks for the inquiry. Yes the purplehart burns very quickly with a belt sander, I just made 4 sets out of it and really don't like it all that well as far as working it. But the wood is very pretty when finished. The flat and rounded part is not to bad to burn, but it is the cross grain sanding that is a bugger.
If I can help you along the way, don't hesitate to contact me either by email, PM, or phone 228 255 0822
I hope I can be of some help to you.
Have you built grips before?
Carl

Woodnut, thanks for getting back so fast. I have never made any wood grips before. I know woodworking stuff. I'm deaf, born that way. So I can't use the phone but I will stay in touch with you on here. I'll wait on the purple heart wood. I'll get some cheaper wood and try that first. Hate to mess up any GOOD wood, know what I mean? I'm going to keep watching your GREAT art work of grips on here.

Woodnut, thanks for getting back so fast. I have never made any wood grips before. I know woodworking stuff. I'm deaf, born that way. So I can't use the phone but I will stay in touch with you on here. I'll wait on the purple heart wood. I'll get some cheaper wood and try that first. Hate to mess up any GOOD wood, know what I mean? I'm going to keep watching your GREAT art work of grips on here.

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Keystone,
You can email me any time at h2owork@aol.com
If I can't explain with typing, I will shoot some photo's and maybe that will help. Just ask whaterver you need to know and I will do my best to get you in the business. It is something that is really rewarding, to see and feel something you have built yourself. That's the only thing that keeps me going is the beauty and feel of the finished product.
Let me hear from you. I didn't mean to scare you off of the Purplehart, If you already have some, then give it a try. It just takes a lot of hand sanding on the ends after shaping with belt sander to get the burnt ends looking good again.
Carl

Just finished another pair of grips that ya'll might be interested in looking at.
The grips are made from Desert Ironwood Burl with some awesome grain effects. These effects are hard to see in the photographs. The only way to really appreciate them, or any wood is to hold it in your hand. Pictures never do it justice. Anyway, back to the grips. My wife had some New Orleans Saints ear rings that I confiscated and cut the eyelet off and inlaid into these grips. Since I only live about 45 minutes from New Orleans, I thought these might go over big here.
Enjoy.

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Your comment is right on, I've just about decided to make this gentleman's web-site my home page, I'll be able to get there faster. This very minute, I'm working on a pair of 1911 custom grips using Japanese Maple. I'm following some procedural guidence that WoodNut has shared with me. not only is he an exceptional craftsman, he is an outstanding human being as youwill discover on your own.

Gosh Guys!
I really am impressed with all the kindness ya'll have expressed, makes me feel like I might be doing something right for a change.

Thought you might like to see another set that I did for a Navy Seal. These are some Arizona Desert Ironwood grips. The gentleman sent me the Trident's to inlay and I just finished them yesterday. I emailed him a photo of them and he really likes them. They are some beautiful grips. The picture never does them justice. The grain in this piece of burl is something to behold, it's though you can look right into the wood.
Enjoy!

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Must be illegal to do work this beautiful because I ain't seen the likes of it no-wheres else. I suppose that when you do it with pride and with heart, the craftmanship can withstand the scrutiny of even the closest, close up. The grain is gorgeous and it appears to be a natural finish showing off the polished effect of fine sanding? The Western Star seems to have grown from within the Maple and not inlaid into it. What specie of Maple is this? I bet you could take a tooth-pick and turn it into Excaliber. Nice, smooth and accurate edging alone to internal grip design, I forgot the correct word, but very smooth, also adds to the grip-a-bility, I reckon. As we often say in the Marine Corps, Well Done!

Woodnut, your work is very nice, as always. I am sorry I havent posted any pics per my sets, but Ihope I have a camera again soon.

If I didnt before, I am only offering the following link for two reasons for you....

1- perhaps another source you can have for medallions.....at $ 14 a pair...these are good....maybe as a dealer also, he will give his source...?

2- Just in case you need a source for some wierd composite you dont already provide...( non wood...etc...).....I have heard good about this guy...and just ordered some "John Wayne " yellow set...as I got a hankerin for them.....

If you should ever do any grip other than 1911....also a good source for grip plates/butt plate and spacers..etc....

You probably know of this link, but am offering it anyway, case you or others want to check it out......I know shopping thru "Michaels" or similiar for pins and tie tacks ...etc.....doesnt always provide enough "inlay" examples...etc....and its seeming like inlays are more prominent with you and others also....

Just trying to help....keep up the good wood working.....

regards,

...also....I have no vested interest in this link...just a medallion source

Woodnut, your work is very nice, as always. I am sorry I havent posted any pics per my sets, but Ihope I have a camera again soon.

If I didnt before, I am only offering the following link for two reasons for you....

1- perhaps another source you can have for medallions.....at $ 14 a pair...these are good....maybe as a dealer also, he will give his source...?

2- Just in case you need a source for some wierd composite you dont already provide...( non wood...etc...).....I have heard good about this guy...and just ordered some "John Wayne " yellow set...as I got a hankerin for them.....

If you should ever do any grip other than 1911....also a good source for grip plates/butt plate and spacers..etc....

You probably know of this link, but am offering it anyway, case you or others want to check it out......I know shopping thru "Michaels" or similiar for pins and tie tacks ...etc.....doesnt always provide enough "inlay" examples...etc....and its seeming like inlays are more prominent with you and others also....

Just trying to help....keep up the good wood working.....

regards,

...also....I have no vested interest in this link...just a medallion source

I know about this link and have ordered medallions from him before. Yes they are very good medallions, and fast shipping. It is hard to keep an inventory of medallions, because you just never know what the public will want. I usually keep in stock mostly military and star medallions.
Thanks so much for keeping me in your thoughts, and I appreciate the link.
Carl

Must be illegal to do work this beautiful because I ain't seen the likes of it no-wheres else. I suppose that when you do it with pride and with heart, the craftmanship can withstand the scrutiny of even the closest, close up. The grain is gorgeous and it appears to be a natural finish showing off the polished effect of fine sanding? The Western Star seems to have grown from within the Maple and not inlaid into it. What specie of Maple is this? I bet you could take a tooth-pick and turn it into Excaliber. Nice, smooth and accurate edging alone to internal grip design, I forgot the correct word, but very smooth, also adds to the grip-a-bility, I reckon. As we often say in the Marine Corps, Well Done!

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Hotsigts;

Thanks again for the kind words. You have a way with words that I have never had. It is so hard for me to express my thoughts into words for typing. Now on the other hand, if I can be in front of the person I can talk my way out of a paper bag, in other words I don't have a problem expressing my point in person, except for a speech problem I have and have had all my life, and will have until I die. Stuttering.
All this being said, I like to forgot why I answered this thread, the Maple is Rock Maple and is really beautiful. Not a lot of burl but just enouth grain to make it look good, and just a beautiful color finished with natural finish. These have been finished with Birchwood Casey's Tru-Oil gun stock finish, after much sanding.
Thanks again
Carl